Ride1Up Unveils Latest Folding Portola E-Bike – the 02 Is Better Than Ever but Still Costs $995

Ever since it first arrived on the scene, Ride1Up’s Portola has been ending up in household after household. The lineup has always stood out as a foldable, cargo-carrying, and highly affordable option for anyone looking to leave their car at home for a few miles each day. Well, Ride1Up has released its latest Portola, the 02.

It folds, it can carry cargo, and costs just $995 from Ride1Up, making the Portola 02 an e-bike worth diving into and exploring. I mean, the previous generations have all been solid winners among the crowd, so we can expect the 02 to go above and beyond in terms of traits and specs, and it does.

Right from the start, we have price. The previous generation I covered just a few months ago was selling for $995, and the 02 stays right there but brings more power to the game. It’s rocking a stronger motor than previous models and is a big win for lowers of speed and those that want to carry cargo around.

Now, as we can see, there are some very close resemblances between the latest 02 and the previous generations of the Portola, but mostly, the base, or frame, still has a similar look. We can’t mess with perfection, after all.

Just like the previous models, the 02 is built around a folding frame design that bends in the center to make for easier storage and the ability to stuff it into the back of a truck or an RV garage. The steering column or stem is also a foldable feature and rests along the side of the bike in its folded form.

One major difference that we can spot is the design of the cargo hold at the rear. Preceding generations has a bit of a dip in the framework before connecting to the seat post. For the 02, the rack runs flat all the way to the post, extending the platform just a bit, allowing for slightly larger accessories with ease.

The platform still sits on slightly fatter tires than average, 3 inches of cross-section around 20-inch wheels, and at the front, we can tap into 100 mm of travel to soften up hits from the road with a suspension fork. It has a lockout function too, helping reduce pedal-bob in cities and tap into all the energy you put into your pedals.

With the base of the 02 out of the way, we arrive at the all-essential electronics, a part of the 02 that Ride1Up has taken care to ramp up. Yes, it’s cheaper but offers more power, made possible by calling upon a 750 W motor with a peak of 90 Nm (66 lb-ft) of torque, about a third more than the previous generation.

This not only gives us plenty of power to tackle hills in our town, but it’s what we need to carry extra cargo around too. According to Ride1Up the weight capacity of the Portola 02 is 342 lbs (155 kg), but it’s not clear if this is the maximum the bike can handle or what it can take extra. It on its own weighs 61 lbs (27.6 kg) with the 10 Ah battery. The 15 Ah version weighs 63 lbs (28.6 kg).

If the load limit is 342 lbs, that would only leave us with a rider weight limit of around 180 lbs, before maxing out that limit. I'm banking on a total load weight of the two combined or 405 lbs (184 kg). Considering the rack is welded directly to the rest of the frame and isn’t held in place with screws as it is on most e-bikes out there, it can handle a total load of 150 lbs (68 kg), further sustaining the idea

Keep in mind that Ride1Up also created a Lite version of the 02, rolling in at 58 lbs (26.3 kg) with the 10 Ah battery. The Lite reduces some weight by cutting into the rear cargo rack and eliminating some of it. Personally, I like how the rear wheel juts out from behind the frame on the Lite.

That motor is designed to also hit top speed of up to 28 mph (45 kph). However, the bike ships limited to 20 mph (32 kph), so that it can be ridden in all states across the US. Motor response is managed by the presence of both a torque and cadence sensor from Mivice, a budget e-bike motor manufacturer whose goodies I've also tested, and they’re more than decent.

Now, depending on the speed you fly around town with, we’re told that a peak of up 60 miles (96.5 km) of ride time can be tapped into with the largest 15 Ah battery. The 10 Ah one tops out at a peak of up to 45 miles (72 km).

Toss on an 8-speed Shimano Altus drivetrain, hydraulic brakes with 180 mm rotors and motor cutoff, lights, a 3.5-inch display that looks a bit rudimentary but does offer a very clean view of your diagnostics, and we have ourselves an e-bike option that reviewers seem to be enjoying and have good things to say about it.

Find one, give it spin around the lot and go from there, but the way things look, it’s looking like Ride1Up dropped another banger, so to speak.